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Blade Runner 2049 opened yesterday (well here in Melbourne at least). Being a big fan of the original I was somewhat nervous about the sequel. Let's face it, sequels are more often than not a pale imitation of the original, and when the original is such an iconic movie, the risk is greater.

Well thanks to Telstra cheap tickets, I went last night with the missus and I'm pleased to report that this sequel nails it. The balance between the old movie and the new is right, the cinematography is stunning and the sound is awesome. I enjoyed the story and thought the performances were strong and I'm especially glad they didn't lean too heavily on Harrison Ford.

It's worthwhile seeing this on the biggest screen in your hemisphere, I saw it at Vmax which was great.

Also, they released 3 shorts that cover some of what happened between the 1st Blade Runner and the second. Do you need to watch them before you see the movie? Not really, but they do add a little insight into some of the dialog in the movie and they don't in any way spoil the movie itself so I'd recommend viewing them before you see the movie. It's a little annoying that all 3 have the same intro and clips from the trailer, but you can skip past those.

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I want to see it quite badly, but have never finished watching the original, because 9 yr old me could never stay awake.

Is there a particular cut of the original you'd suggest I watch?

The 'Final Cut' is probably my favourite, anything but the US cut :).

When they remastered it for all the remakes they cleaned it up a lot so as long as it's not the original and it's on blu ray you'll be fine. I have the 5-disc blu ray set if you want to choose a specific version :)

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The final cut is what we've got lined up to watch, maybe tonight. Was soooooooo long ago I first viewed it I don't even remember the music, but am sure Vangelis has to rate a bit higher than scruffy's quaaludes ... least I hope so. God knows when I get to watch the latest one, I doubt it will be at a cinema.

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With Hans Zimmer as one of two composers used for the new movie the chances of it being how hum were pretty low. He does manage to keep some Vangelis-like aspects but is much more aggressive IMO. I found the line between sound effects and music to be blurred with much of Zimmer's stuff which I don't think is a bad thing.

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Judging from the trailer, there's still a cyborg running about while much of the new cast appear to be terrifying, inhuman androids. Perhaps this is an indication of the fate of humankind following the 2049 "prequel" movie (potential spoiler). Looking forward to watching all three instalments of the franchise in a marathon.

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Our local take-away here does a great fish&chips. King Snapper it was a lovely big fillet each.

Did you remember to order two, "No, two!", sigh, and then say "With noodles!" ;)

Hah ! That scene,along with Pris's lethal thighs, was one of the few I remembered. Also it didn't escape my notice that it's set in 2019. Frankly, I'm appalled - given that both the vender and Decker are residents - they cannot communicate sufficiently well enough to get the order right ;)... at least I'm assuming that.

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...the themes are fascinating. the movies oozes mood and atmosphere. there is time to think, digest, and be swallowed up in turn by its pervasively bleak and palpably realised future vision. it broods; never feeling compelled to fill every spare moment with vacuous dialogue or explosions.

problem is, it also yawns. and its just not held together in a way that matches the narrative and thematic complexity of the short story on which it is (loosely) based. such a shame.

i have to say, its a uniquely impressive movie for sure. the imagery and mood of so many of its sequences is weirdly indelible in my mind, distinct and familiar as if it were my own recurring dream. the same cannot be said for so many movies ive enjoyed far more.

but i think thats part of the reason its so overrated. it entices one to read into it far more than was ever really there. and while i can understand the hate for the narrated version, without it there was even less substance. but thats another reason. its insistance on dank inscrutibility lends it a counter-cultural coolness that was always ripe for a cult following in retrospect.

ive yet to see the 'Final Cut' version. i think i will watch that and then set to work on it. because this film could be edited to about 1/2 its length, gain something of a pulse, and lose very little of its dreamy dystopian juju. i would love to see that movie! the speedball antidote to all the quaalude versions.